It was one of the bloodiest battles
ever fought.And the 35th regiment from Dayton
of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry was in the thick of fighting at
the battle of Chickamauga, a turning point in the Civil War.

One Dayton officer, Lieutenant David
Schaeffer (my note, this is David W. Schaeffer) wrote to his
wife, Frances, a first hand account of the fighting on Sept.
23(?) 1863.

Our division entered the woods and we
were ordered to throw off our knapsacks, form a line of battle,
and move forward, he wrote.In a few minutes
our skirmishes were engaged and being hotly fired upon, fell
back.Now the Rebs were seen coming in line and as claimed
by some, three deep, while ours was but a single line.But
careless of odds, the old 35th stood like statue
waiting until the Rebels came within fair range.

And then we let fly at them with such a
deadly shower of Minnie balls as soon compelled them to fall back
in great disorder.Three times in quick succession did the
Rebels charge our brigade, coming on the double, quick and
yelling like demons, each time with fresh troops and every time
driven back in confusion.

The grand ol third brigade stood there like
sacks, never giving an inch, but sent death and destruction
through the Rebel lines at every volley.The first volley
fired proved fatal to many of the brave 35th boys.I assisted Captain Parshall, shot in the abdomen, to an ambulance
after he fell from his horse.All this time the musketry
was incessant.Bullets were flying around us thick
and fast, thinning our ranks at every discharge.The strife
shirted our division, hotly engaged in battle for 92 hours, was
given a little rest.I found the 14th Ohio
regiment had suffered severely, and so did the 10th
Indiana.The woods were full of dead and dying soldiers.My heart grew sick at the sights.Men, torn by shells,
cried piteously for water.

Then the battle began again in earnest.The very ground quivered and shook with the roar.Now a
charge is being made, the cannon balls are falling all around me.The very air seems thick with bullets.

Our men finally made a furious charge and
the Rebels couldnt stand the onslaught.They gave way
and the day was ours.And our men, cheering and firing as
they go follow the Rebels as they fall back.

They are saying Lee himself was here and
directed the battle.The loss is terrible on both sides,
basically in wounded.

I must now close.Goodbye.If I
should never see you again on earth, remember my last prayer was
for your welfare.